Fifty dollar LCDs lack stands but are "not stolen"

If you're looking for a cheap way to get your multi-monitor setup on, you probably couldn't do much better than the $50, dodgy-brand, 17-inch LCDs being offered by random e-tailer HCDI Trading. Of course, there's no such thing as a free lunch, and that rule certainly applies here, with this lowly-spec'ed display (12-millisecond response time, 500:1 contrast ratio, 260cd/m² brightness) lacking so much as a base -- meaning that your Matrix-style array will be wall-mount only. Reassuringly, HCDI claims that these units are "not stolen" and goes on to admit that "we need the money" as two of the top ten reasons you should buy their product. Also, shipping will add another twenty-five bucks to your total, which is still actually a pretty small price to pay in order to, as HCDI puts it, "further shame your Etch-A-Sketch."

P.S. 1,000 experience points to the first reader who can nail down the branding on this sucker.

P.P.S. Ding ding ding! We have a winner: meet the discontinued Sharp LL173CB. Experience points for all!

[Derry Quinn @ Oct 18th 2007 2:20PM]

It's an Aser ;-)

[cmonkey @ Oct 18th 2007 2:21PM]

... It's a Sharp LL-173CB. It says so right on the site.

[decypher44 @ Oct 18th 2007 2:22PM]

It's a Sorny

[Russell Dowdell @ Oct 18th 2007 2:22PM]

sharp. it's a sharp. lacking its stand
http://www.superwarehouse.com/Sharp_LL-173CB_Black_17_LCD_Monitor/LL173CB/p/623429

also discontinued.

[Peter @ Oct 18th 2007 2:25PM]

It's Sharp. Use google.

[tintin @ Oct 18th 2007 2:29PM]

Who cares what brand it is? $75 for a 17" crap LCD with no stand is no deal at all. Go buy one on Craigslist for the same money any day of the week.

[NHAnimator @ Oct 18th 2007 2:29PM]

If you have to state that they're "not stolen", they're stolen.

[joe23521 @ Oct 18th 2007 2:32PM]

They were not stolen - simply taken without the knowledge or consent of the owner(s).

[LJKelley @ Oct 18th 2007 2:37PM]

I have to agree... obviously stolen!

[Jon @ Oct 18th 2007 2:43PM]

Or 'Lifted' quietly out of the trash, without the knowledge or consent of the owner(s).

[Alex @ Oct 18th 2007 3:56PM]

or "deys fell off the back of a truck outside Newark, see, and the stands broke off when deys hit the curb, know what i'm sayin?"

[Grant @ Oct 18th 2007 4:04PM]

I would say they are not stolen based on the fact that if your going to go through the effort to steal monitors, i think you would steal something better than this.

"look at all these 42" plasmas! lets steal em!"
"No no no!!! look at this sweet grab! 17", no stand, VGA only, discontinued and 12ms response time! Get the Truck!"

[Eric @ Oct 19th 2007 12:44AM]

No, they weren't stolen, they just suck. Just like White Van Audio speakers.

[Brandon @ Oct 18th 2007 2:46PM]

Dude - it's a Dell. When you go to the website to purchace it says "Dell Monitors."

[John @ Oct 18th 2007 3:24PM]

That, Einstein, is a banner ad.

[Justin @ Oct 18th 2007 5:11PM]

Your mom goes to college.

[Ipaq3115 @ Oct 18th 2007 5:16PM]

Einstien,
it isn't a "banner ad" they actually put it under dell screens... (imagine that)
They tell you it's a sharp at the top... freaky...

[Jadid @ Oct 18th 2007 2:53PM]

a Sharp

[Andir3.0 @ Oct 18th 2007 2:54PM]

I'm going to say they are probably multi-brand, taken from kiosks and other displays.

[Nathan @ Oct 18th 2007 2:55PM]

Woohoo! Level up!

[Magallanes @ Oct 18th 2007 3:03PM]

Impressive the prices for be a legal products and not a "five finger discount" lcd.

[agashka @ Oct 18th 2007 3:05PM]

Lack a stand, but does it have VESA mount?

[jwinston2 @ Oct 18th 2007 3:12PM]

or you could pay $639.80 for it.

http://www.supplysale.com/Item.aspx?sku=00861756OP&sgd=330d314d313d315d317

[Jared @ Oct 18th 2007 3:17PM]

Hah nice. My bet is that "1 in stock" will be in stock for the foreseeable future.

This monitor would make for a nifty photoframe / bedside computer with one of those cheepie low power boards we saw the other day.

[Grant @ Oct 18th 2007 4:05PM]

at that price, you only need to sell 1!

[BeDammit @ Oct 18th 2007 3:42PM]

Uh..
No Deal
Analog VGA input

Thats soooo retro

[DMP @ Oct 18th 2007 3:55PM]

http://www.sharpsystems.com/kb/Monitor/manuals/ll173c.pdf

[Adrian Williams @ Oct 18th 2007 3:56PM]

no stand I might get 3 of these and mount them on some panels of wood in a half hexagon shape the shape by itself would keep them from falling over

[nntpgrip @ Oct 18th 2007 3:56PM]

80's video wall anyone? Now wheres the box to make that happen without using a pc full of video cards?

[docjohnboy @ Oct 18th 2007 3:56PM]

This would be great for a home server. I may have to get one.

[Terry Thomas @ Oct 18th 2007 8:29PM]

Microsoft says Home Server doesn't support video.

[docjohnboy @ Oct 18th 2007 9:32PM]

I didn't mean windows home server, I meant a server at my home.

[Grant @ Oct 18th 2007 4:08PM]

i think the story should mention that they have a bit of a ridiculous "shipping & handling cost for only $24.95 Per Monitor".
Is that for hand delivery? and installation? overnight?

its really a $75 monitor, they're just trying to be sneaky.

[gaurav @ Oct 18th 2007 4:10PM]

ok so anyone know where can we buy it , i live in europe so any online place to buy it for that cheap

[Przd @ Oct 18th 2007 4:29PM]

Anyone know if they have a ribbon cable across the back of the screen? If not, it might make a nice DIY movie projector, if you can find an old overhead projector lying around somewhere.

[R @ Oct 18th 2007 4:50PM]

$75 for a low spec 17" LCD monitor ain't too bad. I wouldn't use it as a primary monitor, but it would be ok for a server console. It would be even better for other projects, like a dedicated electronic picture frame thing. Just hook up an old laptop or build a mini-ITX system and fire up a slideshow program. Or if you have money to burn and a lot of time on your hands, buy a bunch of them and set up a display array on your wall.

[randy @ Oct 18th 2007 5:14PM]

Why would ANYBODY pay $75 for this piece of shit when you can get a 1000:1 24" for $315?

[culbeda @ Oct 18th 2007 5:30PM]

Because not everyone needs a 24", perhaps? Hell, I've got a 24" Dell (arguably the best damn 24" monitor out there) and I'm tempted to buy one of these for my server rack. If I had any faith in the retailer and any assurance that the monitor's mount was VESA, I'd jump on this in a heartbeat.

But given that they have a 5/10 rating with 2 ratings total and nothing in the last 6 months, I'm going to wait for everyone to dump them on eBay.

[J @ Oct 18th 2007 5:42PM]

$75 shipped isn't a bad deal. Sure it's not a great monitor....but it's $75. It's better than my 19" CRT that's on my desk right now......one would guess.

[James @ Oct 18th 2007 5:55PM]

DO NOT WANT?

Seriously, if you could combine shipping on 2 I might bite for that price, but I already have a 17" CRT (free, reasonably high-end), and frankly I'd rather keep the 75 bucks to blow on games than free up a few square inches of desk space.

[Chris Taylor @ Oct 18th 2007 8:10PM]

Shipping is what stopped me too $25 is just to much. I EXPECT shipping quirks on ebay I do not want them from retailers. $50 good deal $75 NOT good deal for $30 more I can walk into BJ's and buy a 19" SXGA LCD (I have one sitting in front of me)

Make it $10 shipping per even fixed $10 per and I might bite on a few of them.

[Cory @ Oct 18th 2007 8:12PM]

I saved the Image but it is too blurry when zoomed in I will work on examining it closer

[SeanG @ Oct 18th 2007 9:39PM]

There AIN'T no such thing as a free lunch. TANSTAAFL. Yes a double negative, take it up with Heinlein.

You call yourselves geeks? For shame!

[Eran @ Oct 19th 2007 5:05AM]

in 2003 I bought a 22" Nokia monitor from these guys. It still works great and resolution and color are better than any LCD display we've seen.

[Garst @ Oct 19th 2007 5:47AM]

Alright! Experience points! Only 1,200 more until I get my brain back! Or maybe I just need sleep. I'll try that.